IRF Mena Congress to open with 200 speakers

A total of 200 speakers from 50 countries are set to take part in the first Mena Congress and Exhibition of the International Road Federation (IRF) opening today (October 29) in Dubai, UAE. Being held under the theme “Mobility Solutions for the 21st Century”, the event is considered one of the key road-specialist events, and will convene at the Dubai World Trade Center for the first time in the Mena region. The opening ceremony will witness the honouring of sponsors and the keynote speaker. The Congress, which is hosted by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), will see the participation of specialists and experts from all over the globe sharing expertise in an array of discussion panels. More than 100 papers will be presented, and 200 speakers will deliver speeches. Fifty sessions will be held to discuss a whole host of fields relating to innovations in smart cities, designs of road safety and smart transit systems, assets and pavement management, partnerships and finance, and issues relating to the environment and sustainability. At the sidelines of the Congress, an exhibition spanning more than three thousand square meters will be held where 70 exhibitors will take part. “Staging this global event in Dubai is a global endorsement of the confidence reposed by international entities in the high profile of the UAE and its ability to host international events. It is also signals a recognition by the IRF of the massive efforts of the Dubai Government in nurturing the best infrastructure of roads network in the Emirate,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the RTA. Infrastructure “RTA is exploring the possibility of operating autonomous vehicles on pavements and crossing side roads guided by hi-tech dedicated light traffic signals. It seeks to implement this pioneering global experience for crossing side roads by autonomous vehicles through signalised crossings dedicated to these vehicles. An MoU will be signed during the Congress heralding the first experience of its kind worldwide in terms of using technology and customising the infrastructure to the crossing of roads by autonomous vehicles,” said Al Tayer. “Over the past decade, the Dubai Government has spent about Dh90 billion ($24.5 billion) for upgrading the infrastructure of roads and transport network in the Emirate, including Dh60 billion for roads sector. Accordingly, the total length of roads network in the Emirate has soared from 8715 lane-kilometre in 2006 to 13594 lane-kilometre in 2016. “During the same period, the number of lanes crossing the Dubai Creek has jumped from 19 to 48 recording 153% rise. Examples of vital roads network projects include the construction of the 13-lane Business Bay Crossing, replacing the old Al Garhoud Bridge by a 14-lane crossing, constructing the 6-lane Floating Bridge using military technology, and increasing the number of lanes of Al Maktoum Bridge to 11 lanes,” he added. Abdullah Al Mogbel, chairman of the IRF, said, “For centuries, roads had been the world’s first “social network” providing essential human and economic development. At the International Road Federation, we have tried to capture the connections between roads and trade with a simple slogan “Better Roads. Better World.” The roads we are designing and building today are durable assets. They would serve an increasingly diversified range of uses and vehicles. Events such as these supported by multi-stakeholder platforms, like IRF are essential to achieve a cross-industry consensus around essential questions.” “IRF and Dubai RTA share a common vision of roads and mobility at the service of a longer-term agenda of growth and sustainability. It is with this shared spirit that we have worked together to develop this program, and that we would continue to further our agenda of constructive engagement around mobility solutions for the 21st century,” added Al Mogbel